Not-So-Quiet-Time: Acts 17
At-Home Bible Guide for the Week of 1/25
Day 1: Verses 1-9
Paul had a pattern—a strategy—for sharing the Good News with the Jewish people. He “reasoned from the Scriptures” to point to Jesus (17:2). His strategy was powerful because the Word of God is powerful. In this episode, Jewish people along with “a great many” Greeks and leading women joined the church (17:4). But with the good came the bad: an uproar. The Christian mission is a battle. Pray that God would use you, lead you, and protect you as you reason from the Scriptures.
Day 2: Verses 10-15
At this next stop, we see something amazing! When the missionaries taught, their message was measured against the Scriptures (17:11). As a result, many believed (17:12). Those who trust God’s Word will see it pointing to Christ because the Spirit has authored the Bible to point to Jesus. In the midst of this beautiful scene, conflict struck again. But in the face of this conflict, some of the missionary team—Silas and Timothy—stayed to keep working with this group for a while. Ask God to give you wisdom to follow Him wherever He leads.
Day 3: Verses 16-21
When Paul came to Athens, many people were interested in what he had to say. Those who “lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (17:21). God, in his wisdom, used this culture’s interest in a new thing to share with them the true thing. Praise God that He can use our disordered desires to introduce us to Himself.
Day 4: Verses 22-31
The people of Athens had an incorrect view of God. And so Paul introduced them to “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth” (17:24). He told them that God is not “gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man” (17:29). The true God is Jesus Christ who has been raised from the dead (17:31). Today, our world needs to know that God is not money, fame, security, popularity, comfort, health, or power. Pray that the Spirit would help you to lead others away from idols and toward Christ.
Day 5: Verses 32-34
When they heard about the resurrection, some people mocked Paul. Other people wanted to hear more. And still others believed. When we share, people can respond in all of these ways as well. However, we need to remember that their response is not up to us. Our job is to share and to love as we point to Jesus. And we can trust that He will work in the way that is best.
Catechism Connection: WSC 5, 4, 36
Our world today needs to know who the true God really is. “There is only one, the living and true God” (WSC 5). And what is He like? “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth” (WSC 4). And this matters to us because when we know Him, we experience “God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance in it to the end” (WSC 36).
Monthly Memory: 1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Day 1: Verses 1-9
Paul had a pattern—a strategy—for sharing the Good News with the Jewish people. He “reasoned from the Scriptures” to point to Jesus (17:2). His strategy was powerful because the Word of God is powerful. In this episode, Jewish people along with “a great many” Greeks and leading women joined the church (17:4). But with the good came the bad: an uproar. The Christian mission is a battle. Pray that God would use you, lead you, and protect you as you reason from the Scriptures.
Day 2: Verses 10-15
At this next stop, we see something amazing! When the missionaries taught, their message was measured against the Scriptures (17:11). As a result, many believed (17:12). Those who trust God’s Word will see it pointing to Christ because the Spirit has authored the Bible to point to Jesus. In the midst of this beautiful scene, conflict struck again. But in the face of this conflict, some of the missionary team—Silas and Timothy—stayed to keep working with this group for a while. Ask God to give you wisdom to follow Him wherever He leads.
Day 3: Verses 16-21
When Paul came to Athens, many people were interested in what he had to say. Those who “lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (17:21). God, in his wisdom, used this culture’s interest in a new thing to share with them the true thing. Praise God that He can use our disordered desires to introduce us to Himself.
Day 4: Verses 22-31
The people of Athens had an incorrect view of God. And so Paul introduced them to “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth” (17:24). He told them that God is not “gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man” (17:29). The true God is Jesus Christ who has been raised from the dead (17:31). Today, our world needs to know that God is not money, fame, security, popularity, comfort, health, or power. Pray that the Spirit would help you to lead others away from idols and toward Christ.
Day 5: Verses 32-34
When they heard about the resurrection, some people mocked Paul. Other people wanted to hear more. And still others believed. When we share, people can respond in all of these ways as well. However, we need to remember that their response is not up to us. Our job is to share and to love as we point to Jesus. And we can trust that He will work in the way that is best.
Catechism Connection: WSC 5, 4, 36
Our world today needs to know who the true God really is. “There is only one, the living and true God” (WSC 5). And what is He like? “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth” (WSC 4). And this matters to us because when we know Him, we experience “God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance in it to the end” (WSC 36).
Monthly Memory: 1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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